Podcasts continue to post incredible growth numbers that don’t show any sign of slowing down any time soon. Good podcasts are rare, and when compared to blogs which number in the hundreds of millions, podcasts have much less competition.
If you are a business owner, you should seriously consider starting a podcast. It presents you with a different avenue to produce content for your business, particularly for marketing purposes.
There are plenty of benefits to launching a podcast for your business, including low startup costs. It also doesn’t require a genius to figure out how to start and run a podcast.
If you want to launch a podcast for your business, the following is a step by step guide that will help you do so:
Create a Concept for Your Podcast
The first thing you have to do is come up with a concept for your podcast. It is the theme around which you will build your entire podcast and why people will listen to your podcast.
It would be best if you thought of a topic about which you can have hundreds of exciting conversations with little chance of running out of subjects. The topic should be narrow enough to suit a niche but wide enough to offer many opportunities for discussion.
The theme of your podcast will also give you an idea of the podcast’s name. Once your podcast gets more popular, you can always expand on your topic or theme. However, in the beginning, it’s wiser to only focus on a single theme.
Choose a Host
Creating a podcast will involve handling a large number of audio files. For the best and most secure storage, you should have a host for your podcast.
There are plenty of podcast hosts from which to choose. According to this review here, a host will determine the speed and quality of your podcasts. You need both if your listeners are to enjoy the best version of your podcast.
There are many factors to consider when evaluating various hosting platforms. Cost, depending on the space you need, will be a crucial factor. The bandwidth and frequency of publishing will also be vital factors to consider.
Design Your Podcast
A podcast is part of your business, and you should treat it as such. Therefore, you should design your podcast to be a reflection or an extension of your business.
There are many factors of the podcast you need to design, including the intro, arrangement, artwork, and show format. You will also need to select the style of the podcast, which may include a podcast host.
Buy Equipment and Software for the Podcast
The next step after finding a suitable host is fully investing in equipment and software for the podcast. The truth is you can start a podcast with only a smartphone since they do have a microphone and video camera. However, you will not have the best podcast and will not compete with quality podcasts with hi-tech equipment.
The first piece of equipment you should purchase is a microphone. A professional microphone will significantly improve the audio quality of your podcast. You should invest in a quality microphone that is specifically meant for use with computers. You can find great microphones for great prices if you are willing to look.
You should also invest in audio recording software, which is indispensable for a podcast. The software is what allows you to save your audio recordings and save them in mp3 format. It is crucial to have podcasts in mp3 for listeners to access if they cannot tune in live to your show.
There is free podcast recording software, but it would be best if you got one you pay for monthly. The paid software often offers more features and better quality service.
Other equipment you will need include headphones, pop filters, boom arms, and a hand recorder.
Record Your Podcast
If you have all of the above, you are just about ready to launch your podcast. All that is left is to invite a guest over and record your podcast.
After all the preparation you have done, starting the podcasts might be the hardest step of them all. It takes courage to put it out there and face rejection from various guests who you invite to your show. Until your podcast gains a substantial audience, you should expect numerous rejections from possible guests.
You should ensure you syndicate your audio files into an RSS feed. Doing so will allow your podcast to be distributed across various platforms and downloaded or streamed by any device.
In conclusion, launching a podcast for your business is one of the best content marketing moves you can make. It will also be a great way to portray a different side of your business. If you follow the above guide, you should have an up and running podcast in no time. No two businesses are the same so make your podcast unique to your business.